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Guide to Medical
This is an advanced guide for following extremely realistic roleplay. Don't follow this if you're not one after detail. Medical is a demanding job for Doctors and the Medical Officer to perform, and as a result, the proper procedures should be followed when treating patients. This guide will show the recommended procedures to follow when performing medical duties. Terminology Medical terms every good Doctor must know. Vitals * HR:' '''Heart rate. The measure, in bpm, of a patient's heart activity. 60-110 bpm at rest is considered normal. * '''BP':' '''Blood pressure. The pressure of a patient's blood vessels (measured in mmHg of mercury above surrounding atmospheric pressure 101kPa). Measured with a systolic (maximum) and diastolic (minimum) measurement. 120/80 mmHg is considered normal. * '''Resuscitation': The act of reviving a patient from a state of near-death through defibrillation, CPR, or other means. * CPR: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The act of pumping the chest of a critical patient with both hands or through a machine to attempt to make blood flow around the body. CPR should be performed at 100 bpm (100 compressions per minute). * Heart attack: Medically referred to as a "myocardial infarction". Condition in which the patient's heart begins to beat rapidly and irregularly due to cell death in the heart itself. It can be treated with defibrillation. Not to be confused with cardiac arrest. * Cardiac arrest: Also known as "asystole". A condition in which the patient's heart has stopped working or pumping blood. It can be treated with CPR temporarily or with an injection of epinephrine. * Bradycardia: A slow heart rate, generally considered to be lower than 60bpm for non-pediatric patients. * Tachycardia: A fast heart rate, generally considered to be higher than 100bpm for non-pediatric patients. * Hypotension: A low blood pressure, generally considered to be less than 90/60. * Hypertension: A high blood pressure, generally considered to be over 130/80. Equipment * ECG: Electrocardiogram. Graphing system used to visually see the heart rate of a patient in the form of waves plotted on a screen. * EEG: Electroencephalogram. A device used to measure the brain activity of a patient. * Defibrillator/Defib: A set of two pads used to deliver an electric shock to a patient to stabilize certain heart conditions such as a heart attack. The act of using a defibrillator is called Defibrillation. * IV: Intravenous (fluid). A method of medication or blood injection by injecting a persistent injection port into a vein on a person's body (forearm, neck, chest, extremities), and then administering medicine by connecting the port via a tube to an external bag holding the fluid. Triage Triaging is the process of basing incoming patients' care priority based on the extent of their injuries or ailments, including their condition and their physical and mental state. Doctors should look for the following and determine a patient's condition accordingly: *''GCS stands for the Glasgow Coma Scale. See below for the Glasgow Coma Scale chart.'' A patient should also be prioritized based on the extent of their visual injuries--someone with bullet wounds should be prioritized over someone with a light cut or bruise. Once patients have been appropriately prioritized, proceed to Treatment. Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a measure of the awareness level of a patient from a scale of 3-15: 14-15 being peak consciousness (normal, everyday function) to 3 (comatose). A number should be assigned accordingly based on how conscious the patient is when responding to stimuli such as bright lights in the eyes, or pain. Scans and Diagnosis Scanning a patient to find a potential diagnosis (and subsequent treatment) can be done through invasive and non-invasive methods. * A Body scan '''involves the usage of the scanner inside the medical bay to perform a body scan of the patient. Useful for finding internal ailments. The scanner has two modes: ** A '''CT/CAT scan uses x-ray viewing. ** An MRI uses a magnetic field. * A blood test can be performed to look for diseases, pathogens or toxins in the blood. * Sonography, also known as ultrasound, can be used to find minor problems, determine blood flow, or perform a prerequisite scan before using a body scan. * Monitoring a patient's ECG can give insight into any cardiac conditions they may have. Trauma Treatment Trauma is defined as the presence of physical injuries to the body. Treating trauma can range from simple gauze and wound management to surgery. Wound Treatment and Dressing Steps to close and seal a wound. # Wash or sterilize your hands before attempting to touch compromised skin. # If the wound is bleeding, apply pressure using a clean, dry gauze pad until bleeding subsides. # Clean the wound with soap and warm, running water. If water is not available, use a non-sting disinfectant. Do not use alcohol. # Dry the area using dry gauze pads. Dab the pads on the wound; do not rub or wipe. # Dress the wound using gauze roll and medical tape. Do not apply adhesive directly to the wound. Emergency wound treatment: 'The following procedure should be used if a wound is profusely bleeding, has not stopped bleeding or is larger than 2 cm in diameter or length in any dimension. # Thoroughly apply iodine ''around the wound, never on it. # If the wound is in an extremity (such as the limb), tightly wrap a tourniquet cuff or rope around the portion of the limb closer to the body to limit blood flow to the wound and create a tourniquet. # Use a sterile gauze roll and medical tape or large bandages to wrap around the wound tightly in order to apply pressure. # After bleeding has subsided, use medical staples or stitches to force the wound to seal. # Apply a bandage over the wound to prevent infection. # Treat for shock if present (see below). Bone breakage Bone breakage can be defined as the fracture, splintering, or shattering of a bone. # Perform wound treatment and dressing if there is an open wound. # Immobilize the injured area by applying a splint above and below the injured areas. # Apply cold gel packs to the injured area to minimize swelling. # Treat with anesthetic or painkillers to minimize pain and risk of shock. # Treat for shock if present (see below). Shock treatment Treating a patient who begins to display rapid breathing, lightheadedness or otherwise beginning to feel faint or pass out, perform shock treatment immediately. # Lay the person down on a bed or couch or, if none is available, on a flat surface. # Elevate the patient's feet about 12 inches (30 cm) above their head unless the head, neck or spine is injured. Do not raise their head. # If the patient is at risk of vomiting, turn them to the side. # Administer oxygen and appropriate IV fluids (see section "IVs" below). IVs '''IVs (intravenous fluid) is a method of medication or blood injection by injecting a persistent injection port into a vein on a person's body (forearm, neck, chest, extremities), and then administering medicine by connecting the port via a tube to an external bag holding the fluid. A list of common IV fluids can be found below, though medications and other fluids may be used depending on the situation. Disease Control Disease control is the act of isolating a patient infected with a contagious pathogen such as a fungal, bacterial or viral infection. Notes to treatment: * If the pathogen is highly contagious, isolate the patient in one of two Quarantine chambers available in the medical bay. * Avoid direct contact with a quarantined patient and always use proper hazmat gear. Medication Infections can potentially be mitigated through the usage of several available medicines. Surgery Surgery should be performed when the aforementioned treatments are not enough or are ineffective, such as gunshot wounds or other severe traumatic injuries or disease. Tools The following is a list of equipment for surgery: * Scalpel: Used for making incisions. * Laser scalpel: Used for precise surgeries that only require a minimal entry point. * Hemostat: Used for clamping arteries shut and additionally grabbing onto objects. * Retractor: Used for keeping open an incision. * Biodegradable thread & needle: Used to stitch an incision or wound closed. * Cautery: Used to perform emergency wound closure. * Disposals tray: Used to dispose of foreign or unwanted objects. * Syringe: Used to inject precise amounts of medicine. Machinery The following machinery can be used and is often found in surgery: * Anesthesia machine: Controls and regulates the flow of anesthesia to a patient undergoing surgery. * Cardiopulmonary bypass machine: Usually used during cardiac surgery, it acts as an artificial heart that circulates blood and oxygen throughout the body. * ECG: Used to show the vital signs of a patient. * Ventilator: A machine used while a patient is under anesthesia or if a patient is incapable of breathing sufficiently on their own. This is used along with an endotracheal tube to intubate someone. It also helps for exhaling, removing CO2 from the bloodstream. Category:Guides Category:Advanced Guides